A rich brown duck with a gorgeous buff head and neck, a brilliant yellow beak, and a distinguishing black patch at the gape, inhabits the Gulf of Mexico coast. The Mottled Duck, closely related to the female Mallard and the American Black Duck, is what it looks like. Due to their near resemblance, hybridization, especially with mallards, represents a significant danger to the mottled duck's continued existence. This species is found in tiny flocks or couples, primarily in freshwater marshes close to the shore. Mottled Ducks often form pair connections by November, well before the beginning of the mating season the following spring, making them much more sociable than the majority of other ducks. Mottled Duck has two subspecies as well; Florida mottled duck and Gulf Coast mottled duck.
Mottled Duck Specifications
Mottled Duck ID
Within their restricted area, mottled ducks are rather frequent. A couple may build their nest in almost any freshwater wetland, including marshes, ponds, ditches, and impoundments. Many so-called "Muddled Ducks" have been generated in Florida as a result of hybridization with invasive mallards, so it takes some effort to identify a "pure" Mottled Duck.
